Following a glimpse of world peace thanks to Pokemon Go, it's beyond doubt that the creature-catching series stands as one of the most ubiquitous gaming titles in existence. The iconic Pikachu is every bit as recognizable as Mickey Mouse, if not more so. The continued pandemonium surrounding card prices ensures near-daily Pokemon headlines. It would be hard-pressed to find a Pokémon game that failed to move at least a couple million units. Remarkably, unofficial Pokémon games achieve popularity every year.
However in spite of that pervasiveness and popularity, some Pokémon games that remain underappreciated. These represent games that failed to receive their proper due, or were buried under the hype of the mainline series. These are Pokémon games released on doomed platforms or services, or were early forays onto new mediums. They're often also Pokémon games that might have blossomed if they ever got follow-ups or contemporary re-releases. With these criteria in mind, we won't be offering just one more reminder for Pokémon Conquest or the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. We're pulling an Excadrill.
Still, these might be these Pokémon games. So, before adjusting your spectacles and typing 'Actually,' let us just agree that these are Pokémon games for those possessing refined tastes, shall we?
Pokémon Ranch: The Chill Forerunner
Too many Pokémon games emphasize the combat aspect of the series, and not nearly enough of them highlight the ordinary aspects that would come with owning a companion. Admittedly, modern titles include small features like these in recent entries—you can play with your monsters in bases. However, I'm dying for a Pokémon game more in the style of Nintendogs or The Sims.
My Pokemon Ranch (2008) for the Nintendo Wii isn't it. The downloadable-only title is most accurately viewed as the precursor to Pokemon Home; that is, as a storage system to hold monsters from different games. Critical reception from its release noted Ranch was a poor if not truly ugly game. It's not my goal to argue against these claims, but it behooves me to say Ranch might be the nearest we've come to a slice-of-life Pokémon game.
True to its title, the game is set on a farm where your personal Miis—imagine this—simply hang out with your pals. The activities with Pokémon were simple, and a lot of the draw was observing what your monsters might do when they're not being forced into battle. In a just world, Pokémon Ranch would have been the start of a beautiful franchise built on the simple pleasures of living your life with a tiny companion. However, because The Pokémon Company can collect a fee for Pokémon Home now, I'm guessing we will never see a Pokémon Ranch game realized to its fullest potential. I'd say 'save us, Pokémon Pokopia!' but it's also known that the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive is as much a puzzle game as it is a life simulation.
Ranch came out long before Stardew Valley kicked off the enduring trend of cozy games. It was before the rise of idle games, and the Let's Play popularization of watching games you aren't playing. Most people never understood that Ranch's proposal to observe your creatures as much as you interact with them didn't mask a shallow core. In actuality, Ranch's meticulous design was so extraordinary, a live stream focused on broadcasting the game 24/7. The individual who runs the channel maintains that, after nearly two decades of playing the game, he even now has not seen everything that is in it. Justice for Pokémon Ranch: no one knew what to do with you in 2008.
Pokemon Duel: The Strategic Tabletop Game Lost
Did you know that Pokemon once had an licensed tabletop game with action figures? Pokemon Duel was the 2016 effort to digitize the tabletop experience in a more approachable form. Duel was also, sadly, one of Pokémon's first forays into the world of free-to-play phone games. Duel had the trappings of a gacha title where players could pay to win—and there was motivation to do so, given the lengthy grind for new pieces.
All of these poor design choices obfuscated a sad truth: Pokémon Duel was an superb tactical game with Duel today. "I can’t express how much I loved and miss this game," one YouTube comment reads, seven years after Duel's servers were shut down. "Honestly I think this game was better than TCG Pocket in terms of complexity, approachability, game design, and features in general," another commenter declared. "I truly believe if it launched now people would be playing it more than GO and Pocket combined."
Unfortunately, Duel's early release was marred by server issues. Technical problems, alongside Duel's predatory business model, gave people little reason to come back. Should a revival occur, The Pokémon Company chose to resurrect this franchise, I'm still not certain things would play out differently. The unique board structure made for a fantastic strategic challenge for the few folks who played Duel, but that playing field is also a intimidating visual mess.
Pokemon: Magikarp Jump: The Whimsical Gem
Man, why don't more Pokémon games loosen up a little and have some enjoyment? Magikarp Jump (2017) was a uncommon case of The Pokémon Company giving its blessing a game with a concept so silly, it was verging on internet meme. And when we're dealing with a franchise where trainers venture forth with a team of ineffective monsters who literally can't do anything, I'm shocked we don't have more Pokémon games that poke fun at themselves.
In Magikarp Jump, the player is tasked with raising the ultimate version of the infamous fish. This isn't about a Magikarp that can win battles. These are 'Magikarp raised to enter competitions to see who can flop the highest. I'm not a fan is how Magikarp Jump, like many phone games, forces the player to pause before they can train their Magikarp further. But it is clear throughout the experience that Select Button appreciated and got the community love around Magikarp.
This was most apparent than in Jump's merciless random occurrences, where your Magikarp was just as likely to improve as it was to get eaten by a Pidgeotto. Beyond the great writing, Magikarp Jump also experimented with other things one might wish the core series would do, like offering a wide variety of the same type of monster. I know it's not practical for any Pokémon game to have dozens of variations for a roster of over a thousand creatures, as Magikarp Jump does... but we can hope.
Magikarp Jump was not a especially sophisticated or profound game, but the seeds of brilliance were there. Sharply written events with outrageous outcomes that forever alter how you can train a companion also describe the excellent Mewgenics. It's worth noting: Mewgenics will almost certainly be in the running when Game of the Year season rolls around.
Given numerous core games and derivative titles, chances are that I omitted that particular Pokémon game you totally love but argue that not nearly enough people played. It's acknowledged that some people remember games like Pokémon Ranger or Pokemon Pinball fondly notwithstanding argu
